So, its been a shit ton of time before I've posted anything. I couldn't write for months. Its been a year and a half since I dropped out of college with no job or plans of my future. Ive just been reading fanfiction wishing that I could write but I literally cant gut up and do anything. I painted on canvas for the first time in a while due to a Van Gogh sized mental breakdown at one in the morning and that was a month or so ago. So, I know Ive said before that I hate excuses but I keep getting comments wondering when Im gonna update, so I thought I would give you guys the reason why. I will, eventually write those other stories but there's a lot that I have planned in my head as far as writing goes right now. Anywasy, you guys know the drill. Only the originally characters and ideas are mine. Everything else is Stephanie's. Without further ado, I think that's how you spell it, ONWARD!

Chapter 20:

"Great, so now that we've got all of that figured out, we can just magically appear in Volterra, kill Aro, and then somehow manage to all get out of there unscathed. What a brilliant idea." Kate thought that she would go blind, if that were possible, with how far back in her head her eyes had just rolled. Garrett's comments were snarky sometimes and could, as much as she hated to admit, lighten the mood a bit when necessary.

"We wouldn't be going to Volterra, idiot," the comment came out a bit harsher than it needed to, but caused everyone in the room to give a small giggle. Bella was a bit lost with everything that had happened within the span of a few minutes and decided to voice her opinion.

"Why wouldn't we? Its where he is. How else would we get to him?" Both Kebi and Agáta looked at her fondly as she continued to remain confused while her mate tried to explain the best she could.

"We can't go because, one, it would be a death sentence," Irina explained as she brought Bella over to an empty loveseat, "and, two, he would be less guarded." At her continued looked of confusion, Tanya decided to step in and help the situation.

"If the kings leave Volterra, they need to be guarded, but they will more than likely only bring the elite guard, with a few of the lower-ranking members sparsely guarding them as well. They can't leave their home completely unprotected because that would be stupid." Tanya sat on the left side of Bella as she placed her arm over her new-found mate's shoulders.

"Not to mention that I don't want him or any of his sadistic guards getting his hands anywhere near you." Kebi spoke with such confidence that it made Bella look down at her hands in her lap. Her face would have probably been completely flushed were it not for her lack of blood flow; she hated being the center of attention.

Everyone, even though they wanted to end this situation as soon as possible, seemed to be at a loss for ideas. No one knew what to do and whatever idea that was spoken was pointed out to be more foolish than the last. "Well, it's not like we just ask people for help. From what I've been told, its sounds like everyone is afraid of being forced to join the Volturi guard." In an instant, all eyes were on Bella and that just made her shrink further in her mates' arms. "I mean, it was just something that came out. I know we can't-"

"No," Eleazar cut her off, "that wasn't a bad idea." Bella looked a little confused.

"I was just making a sarcastic comment. It wasn't really anything important."

"No, but it was." Everyone began looked at him in confusion. "Think of it. We can call forth witnesses." It was like a switch went off in everyone's mind. Instantly, people began moving about, maps were placed everywhere and lists were being made. Bella's hair was being whipped from one side of her face to the other because of how fast the vampires around her were moving.

"Wait, I don't understand. What are witnesses?" Kebi stopped what she was doing with Amun to sit down on a couch with Bella.

"Witness are people, other vampires, who can testify with you against the Volturi. Sometimes, most definitely in a case like this, the Volturi will call forth "witnesses" of there own to try and prevent the opposing party from winning." Kebi began to place a few strands of Bella's brown hair behind her ear as she spoke, trying to comfort the young vampire.

"But, isn't that just kind of cheating? I mean, Eleazar said before that Aro basically threatens them, usually with a crime that they didn't commit. Won't the others that we find and ask for help not want to be put on his radar?" Kebi smiled at her, motherly love shining in her eyes at her innocent way of thinking.

"No, not really. When you've had to put up with corruption for so long, it doesn't matter what they threaten you with; it will never be better to stay quiet than to deal with it head on." Bella nodded, seeming to understand the majority of what her surrogate mother was saying.

A few moments passed, Kebi still remaining on the couch with Bella, still not fully understanding that she was finally safe with them, while the others zipped about preparing to gather their friends to ask for help. "Right," Agáta spoke as she paused in the middle of the room. "I understand the need to go for numbers, but if there is anyone that would be more than willing to help us, it would be the Romanians."

The room stopped buzzing and the silence was so defining you could hear a pin drop. Everyone knew that she was right, but no one wanted to bring them into the situation. Things were always sure to escalate with them around. "Not that we don't think it's a good idea," Carmen spoke up from the back of the room, "they have more of a right to be angry at the Volturi than any other vampire in this world, but you know they would willingly choose violence before politics. They want the Volturi to pay for what they did to them so long ago and they'd only instigate the situation."

"Carmen's right." Tanya came forth from where she was gathering the necessary paper work for there future trip. "They'd take any chance they could get to spit an insult at the Italians; but we need the numbers. We all know that the Volturi will always have more than us. Add to that the "witnesses" that they will likely call forth and the gifts that they have, fighting would be a death sentence. But its also a good thing that we aren't challenging them to fight. We want them to listen. They know everything that they've done is wrong, Aro especially. The Romanians are some of the oldest from our world and that makes them the most likely to get everyone to shut up and listen. What happened to them was a story that most people have heard, but never from their own mouths. If we can get them to tell their side of the story, not the one that the Volturi have twisted for the guard and their wives, then I guarantee that people will start to rethink their standing."

"The vampires that Aro has called upon know that what's been done to them is wrong," Irina cut in, "When they hear the actual accounts of what happened to have power shifted in such a way, they might start to turn on him. Add to that Bella's story," Kebi pulled the one closer to her at this, "and the people who own gifts that he's stolen, it won't take long for his carefully crafted web of lies to unravel."

They were all silent for a moment. They all new that they needed the Romanians. They small coven would greatly affect their cause, but the only issue was that no one actually wanted to go and retrieve them. "I will send word to them and see if they reply. If they want to help, then they will come to us." Amun left to go write the needed letter, hoping that it actually did arrive to the aforementioned coven.

"Why don't we just travel their and ask them ourselves?" Bella piped up from where she and Kebi were sitting. A few of the other members of the large group questioned the same, not at all familiar with the Eastern European territory. "I mean, it wouldn't take that many of us. You said it was a small coven, right?"

Kebi's eyes widened in worry at the thought of the newest member of her coven going anywhere near that territory. "No, Isabella. We can't go. While really, all we would need to do is sent an official request, the main reason not many travel there is because of the Children of the Moon." The older vampire pulled her closer, not being able to bear the thought of one of those vicious creatures coming anywhere near Bella.

"Another word for them would be 'Lycans'," Kate mentioned as she sat a bag in the middle of the room. "Their the closest thing you'll find to those stories people made up. Not those little shifters that try and parade themselves as 'saviors to the people'." At Bella's look of surprise, Kate snorted. "Oh yeah, don't think we didn't do a little research about where our friends live. That and the fact that you used to live there. We know all about those mangy mutts with anger issues that you used to be friends with."

Agáta's head whipped around at the mention of this. "What do you mean 'shifters? There were shifters where you lived?" Kate's smug smile didn't keep Bella from feeling like she had done something wrong. She stuck her tongue out at the blonde vampire, receiving a wink in return. Apparently, there was going to be a lot of this in her future. She did not appreciate the disapproving glares of both of her surrogate mothers at the same time.

"In my defense," Bella said sheepishly as she put her hands up in a peaceful manner, "I didn't know about the wolves until after a couple years of being friends with them."

"Well, you'll do your best to stay away from them from now on if you ever happen to cross paths with them again." At that, Agáta turned around to finished with the few things she was going to bring on her journey, thoroughly ending the conversation before Bella even got a chance to reply. Kebi got up from beside her, but she soon followed so she could say goodbye to Benjamin and Tia.

"Now, I want you to go to the Amazons. They know your faces well and they appreciate your talents in their jungle." Amun came up to them stated firmly, coming up to them. "You know what do to, correct?"

"Yes, Amun," Benjamin sighed, "This is not the first time Tia and I have had to perform a diplomatic gesture on your behalf." Bella and Kebi both hugged the pair as the coven leader continued.

"Good, then I shouldn't have to tell you to be kind and understanding towards their skepticism." Benjamin rolled his eyes and through his hands in the air as he and Tia left for the rainforest. Bella giggled to herself as she sat back down on a couch in the main living area. She may not have been in this coven for very long, but Benjamin was definitely her big brother.

The three Denali sisters had finally finished packing their things and were preparing to head to Ireland, but it would seem that they would need a crow bar to remove Tanya from her grasp on young Bella. Kate was behind her, impatiently waiting for her chance at a goodbye hug and Irina was groaning over by the door. Carmen and Eleazar had just left for old friends in Spain and France while Garrett and Laurent had left an hour before to track down a few nomads in the Americas.

"Ugh, come on Tanya its my turn! You've been hugging her for an hour," Kate impatiently whined.

"Kate, it hasn't been an hour, it's been five minutes, but seriously Tanya, we have to go." Giggles and small bouts of laughter could be heard around the room. Most understood what it was like to be separated from a new mate.

"Tanya, you can let go now. I'll be fine. Amun has to stay here with Kebi to receive the guests and you know her and Agáta won't let me out of their sight. I'll be fine. You're just going for a few days and then you'll be back here in no time." Try as she might, no matter what Bella said, Tanya wasn't going to let go of her. In fact, she actually squeezed her harder; it was a good thing that they were indestructible...basically.

A loud yelp brought her out of her thoughts and Bella found that she was finally released from the death-grip of a hug. Further investigation found that Kate had given Tanya quite the shock, literally, to get her to finally let go of Bella; it the shouted "Katrina!" was anything to go by. Irina quickly pulled Tanya out of the door as Kate gave her the quickest bone-crushing hug she had ever felt in her life and a tiny kiss on the cheek. The third Denali sister finally sprinted out the door, hoping the quicker they finished their job the faster they could return to their new mate.

"Well, that was interesting," Agáta mentioned quietly as she and the other members of her coven stood from their various positions around the room. "Now," the blonde woman in question gave Bella a small smile before she was pulled into another death-grip-of-a-hug. She felt Agáta's hands cradle the back of her head as she spoke to her quietly. "You be good and you be safe. As much as I hate leaving you hear, I can't bring you with me. It would be dangerous to put you anywhere near the Volturi. The boys and I will be leaving to finds some friends in Europe and Russia and we'll be back in a few weeks. Okay?" All Bella could do was nod her head, too afraid to admit that she had tears coming to her eyes.

Agáta gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head before she and the rest of her coven left without looking back; the older vampire knowing she wouldn't be able to leave if she did.

"I will go prepare for the arrival of out friends," she heard Amun mention behind her. He gave a quick kiss to Kebi as he left the room, noticing how Bella had yet to move from the spot that she stood. Kebi came up behind her, knowing that her child had severely saddened by the sudden departure of her new family.

"Kebi?" She got a hum of acknowledgement in response. "You know how I said I'll be fine until they got back?" There was a pause before Bella spoke up again. "I don't think I'm fine." Though she couldn't see the sad smile she was given, Bella was comforted by the way the woman pulled her into her soft embrace.